City planning staff told the Norfolk City Council at its Aug. 26 work session that Longshipyard Inc. has applied to rezone properties at 344 West Indian River Road and 335 Emmett Place from multifamily/plan development to industrial deep waterfront to match the company’s existing shipbuilding operations. Bobby Tahan, director of city planning, said the site is now a temporary parking/storage lot adjacent to waterfront industrial uses and that the comprehensive plan designation had been changed from industrial to multifamily in 2016 for a development that never occurred.

The Planning Commission recommended the rezoning to industrial and an amendment to the comprehensive plan by a 6–1 vote, Tahan said. He told council the applicant has not submitted site plans showing proposed buildings; the applicant’s current proffers include removing a barge and remediating gravel-related environmental impacts. Tahan said the applicant’s civil engineers are working with staff and that a remedial/site plan is expected to be submitted to staff within 120 days.

Council members pressing the item asked for more information about anticipated operations and community impacts. Council member Page said he had been told by the applicant that the change could reduce sandblasting impacts by “no less than 40% and maybe upwards of 50%” but asked staff for data to substantiate that claim. Tahan replied the applicant had not provided those mitigation details to staff and that staff could not share them until they were proffered.

Council members and neighborhood representatives raised infrastructure and buffering questions. Council member Smith asked whether sidewalk or corner infrastructure repairs would be required; Tahan said off-site sidewalk repairs generally fall outside the site unless the rezoned parcel directly fronts the improvement, but said the parcel’s corner touching West Indian River Road would require site-related improvements tied to any site plan approvals. Council member Page and others asked whether setbacks and screening could be required to separate industrial activities from adjacent residences; Tahan said required landscape buffers apply and estimated a typical landscaped buffer could be roughly 20–30 feet where there is direct residential exposure.

Tahan summarized permitted uses under the proposed industrial designation, noting the applicant sought to allow industrial dewatering and shipbuilding activities of the type it operates elsewhere, and that any new buildings or operations would need to pass site plan review and state stormwater/environmental permitting. He emphasized the applicant had not proffered a commitment to build an enclosed facility to reduce sandblasting and that the application, as submitted, did not include such a building.

Several council members and civic representatives urged the applicant and staff to conduct outreach with nearby residents and community institutions (including local churches) before the rezoning returns to a council agenda; Tahan said the Planning Commission had recommended the applicant meet with the community after the public hearing. Tahan said staff will share council’s request for additional information and public engagement with the applicant before the rezoning is scheduled for a future council meeting.

No formal council vote occurred at the work session; staff framed the report as a briefing and said the item will return with additional materials once the applicant supplies them or staff completes its review.